Redblacks, coming off a bye week, blown out by Alouettes

Maybe the Ottawa Redblacks should decline their next bye week in the Canadian Football League schedule. This one certainly didn’t do them much good.

After a 13-day break since their previous game, the Redblacks laid an egg against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday night, playing so dreadfully that they got blown out 43-19 at TD Place stadium and blew their chance to protect a lead atop the East Division standings.

Special-teams snafus, ineffective tackling and a propensity for giving up big plays were all significant factors, but give the Alouettes credit. They were definitely the better team.

So, head coach Rick Campbell, how could your well-rested Redblacks play so badly?

“I don’t know,” Campbell said. “We were in the game at halftime and showed signs of life, and when there was a play to be made and a chance to get off the field, we didn’t do it.

“We’ll make sure we look at everything. The important thing to do, when you’re in the mood I’m in right now and the mood that people in that (locker) room are, you want to change everything.

“But I know when I watch the film there’s going to be some good stuff, and so we need to make sure we don’t mess with the good stuff and make sure we fix the stuff that’s not right.”

OK, since we’re on the topic of fixing the bad stuff, let’s begin right from the very first offensive possession, which produced no points when a fake-field-goal run by holder Danny O’Brien failed and became a turnover on downs.

The teams then traded field goals, with Anthony Fera connecting for the Alouettes and Chris Milo for the Redblacks, but then Stefan Logan’s 70-yard punt return, helped immensely by Nicolas Boulay’s block on Brendan Gillanders at the corner, set up a short scoring drive for the visitors. Nik Lewis accepted a short pass from Kevin Glenn, shed Antoine Pruneau’s tackle and sauntered into the end-zone from 11 yards out.

There was a brief moment of joy for the home fans after Henry Burris threw a dart to Chris Williams, who completed a 52-yard touchdown play. Milo missed the convert, but at least the Redblacks were back in it, down 10-9.

However, a sack of Burris and fumble set up the Alouettes in Redblacks territory. Another pass to Lewis, again beating Pruneau, led eventually to a 17-yard touchdown pass from Glenn to Samuel Giguère.

Just before halftime, more bad news for the Redblacks: Duron Carter — yes, that Duron Carter — won a physical confrontation with a Redblacks defensive back near the line of scrimmage, and he was wide open to catch a pass from Glenn and romp for a 68-yard TD play.

This time Carter was far from the Redblacks’ bench, so there was no repeat of the June incident in which he bumped into Campbell, igniting a melee that resulted in two ejections, four fines and a one-game suspension to Carter, who has appealed that penalty.

Redblacks fans were definitely grumpy, but their spirits received another jolt just as the first half ended. A Hail Mary throw from Burris tipped off at least one other set of hands before it settled into the arms of Ernest Jackson for a 48-yard touchdown, and Milo’s successful convert made it 23-16.

The visitors restored their two-score lead, however, on their second possession of the third quarter. A 75-yard drive ended with a 12-yard run by B.J. Cunningham.

It looked as if the Redblacks would again halve their deficit when they responded with a drive to Montreal’s 12-yard line, but an illegal-procedure penalty, an incomplete pass and a sack forced them to settle for a 37-yard field goal and a 30-19 deficit.

The Alouettes put it away with another 75-yard drive early in the fourth quarter. The key play was a conversion on second-and-24 — how did that happen? — with the score on a modest 15-yarder from Glenn to Brandon Rutley.

An interception thrown by Burris on the next Ottawa possession had many in the crowd streaming for the exits, and the Alouettes added the capper when Glenn threw a beautiful pass over defensive halfback Forrest Hightower and into the arms of Carter.

Burris finished with 322 yards passing, but Brock Jensen finished the game at quarterback. Now the talk will begin about whether the Redblacks should start Trevor Harris, who hasn’t played since late July because of knee and ankle injuries, in the next game.

“Montreal kicked our butts and we didn’t do a good enough job to help ourselves,” Burris said. “We had too many penalties, I missed some throws. They beat us in every way. You have to give kudos to them.”

Chief among those receiving kudos were Glenn, who had those five touchdown throws among his 382 yards passing, and Carter, who made five receptions for 126 yards.

“I didn’t make a statement,” Carter said. “Our plays were working. (Offensive co-ordinator Anthony Calvillo) called a great game. It just feels good to have a victory, that’s all I can say.”

The Redblacks will complete their stretch of four consecutive home games with what will likely be a stiff test against the B.C. Lions next Thursday night.

“We had a good start and we kind of got ahead of it, so you want to keep it going,” said slotback Brad Sinopoli, who had six catches for 40 yards. “Any time you have an opportunity at home and you don’t take advantage, that’s a big thing.

“Right now, we just have to go back to work, figure out a way to forget this one and just find a way for next week.”

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